ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Serious Fraud Office

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  how much was spent by his Department on meeting home to work travel costs for the Chief Executive of the Serious Fraud Office in 2010-11;
	(2)  how much the Serious Fraud Office spent on meeting the travel to work costs of each of its employees in receipt of such costs in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many staff in the Serious Fraud Office have the costs of travelling from home to work met by their employer.

Edward Garnier: The travel costs for the chief executive for 2010-11 was £12,600. This was a benefit in kind payment. These payments arise from her home being out of London.
	For the last financial year in which accounts were submitted on behalf of the SFO, the amount spent on meeting the travel to work costs for those staff with an approved entitlement for reimbursement was £57,880.50 (this includes the chief executive).
	During the period for which the above figure is provided, nine staff are entitled to have the cost of travel from home to work met by the SFO.

Telephone Hacking: Metropolitan Police

Michael Meacher: To ask the Attorney-General whether he has made representations to the Metropolitan police concerning their decision to invoke the Official Secrets Act in respect of the Guardian's journalistic sources in the Milly Dowler telephone hacking case.

Dominic Grieve: No.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Chief Scientific Adviser

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

David Willetts: The chief scientific adviser's office was established in May 2008. The resource budget allocations for the following three years were:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2008/09 200,000 
			 2009/10 80,000 
			 2010/11 176,500 
		
	
	The low figure for 2009/10 was caused by maternity leave for a Grade 7, a senior executive officer joining later in year with an existing budget provision, and an executive officer on loan from another Government Department. These were one-off factors that did not carry over into the following financial year. Forecasts for the same period were as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2008/09 173,000 
			 2009/10 158,000 
			 2010/11 192,000

Chief Scientific Adviser

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

David Willetts: The information is as follows:
	(a) This Department is committed to handling science and engineering advice in accordance with the Government chief scientific adviser's guidelines on the use of science and engineering advice in policy making. In addition the Government Office for Science have issued guidelines on Scientific Analysis in Policy Making which sets out the way in which all Government Departments should obtain and use scientific analysis and advice in policy making.
	(b) This Department does not require contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol for such services. The Department would seek to procure such services via a competitive process. As part of that process bidders' proposals, including their ability to provide, conduct and quality assure their work would be fully evaluated to ensure the successful bid is fit for purpose.

Higher Education: Admissions

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of young people in each local authority area began a course at (a) a university, (b) a Russell Group university and (c) Oxford or Cambridge University in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Willetts: The latest information on the numbers of young (aged under 21 on entry) undergraduate entrants from each local authority area in England who began a course at a UK higher education institution, a Russell Group university and Oxford or Cambridge university are shown in the table which will be placed in the Libraries of the House. Figures for the 2010/11 academic year will become available from January 2012. Equivalent figures for entrants studying higher education courses in further education colleges are not available.
	The Department does not collect data on the number of residents in a particular local authority area who are not in higher education, which would be necessary to calculate a proportion. It is, therefore, not possible to calculate the proportion of young people in each local authority area who began a higher education course.

Higher Education: Disadvantaged

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of young people in each percentile of lower layer super output areas according to income deprivation affecting children indices began a course at (a) a university, (b) a Russell Group university and (c) Oxford or Cambridge University in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Willetts: The information requested is not held centrally.
	The following publications on participation in higher education may be helpful.
	The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) “Performance Indicators in Higher Education” include the proportion of entrants who are from state schools, lower socio-economic classes or low participation neighbourhoods.
	http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2072&ltemid=141
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) report “Trends in young participation in higher education: core results for England”, January 2010 tracks proportions of young people from different backgrounds entering Higher Education:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2010/10_03/
	The BIS publication “Widening Participation in Higher Education: Analysis of progression rates for young people in England by free school meal receipt and school type”, August 2011, includes estimated information on young people by free school meal status progressing to higher education at national and local authority level:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/analysis/statistics/higher-education/official-statistics-releases/widening-participation-in-higher-education/analysis-of-progression-rates-for-young-people-in-england-by-free-school-meal-receipt

National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what projects have been carried out by the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research on behalf of the Government since May 2010.

David Willetts: The National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) does not undertake individual projects on behalf of the Government.
	The NC3Rs is an independent organisation which works with the scientific community to discover and promote new ways to replace, reduce and refine the use of animals. The centre was recently tasked to lead in the delivery of the Government's pledge to work to reduce animal use in scientific research. The NC3Rs strategy and work plan is approved by its independent board.
	I recently attended the launch of the NC3Rs CRACK IT initiative, the aim of which is to develop new technologies for industry with 3Rs benefits by connecting and funding scientists from academia and industry. More information can be found on the CRACK IT website:
	www.crackit.org.uk
	The event also publicised a review of the NC3Rs research portfolio “Research Review 2011” describing some of the science it has funded to find new ways of replacing and reducing the use of animals in scientific procedures and improving animal welfare. The report and a list of all projects funded by the NC3Rs can be accessed on their website:
	http://www.nc3rs.org.uk
	Awards granted in 2011 can be viewed at:
	http://www.nc3rs.org.uk/news.asp?id=1558

Skills and Jobs Retention Group

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills who the members are of the Skills and Jobs Retention Group; how many times it has met since it was established; what its budget is; and how many people it has assisted in finding new employment.

Mark Prisk: The Skills and Jobs Retention Group has met formally 10 times. In addition, there has been regular discussion between group members, other individuals, business and organisations to progress work.
	The group itself has no budget although it worked closely with SEMTA to ensure that they secured £450,000 funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) Employer Investment Fund for the system design and implementation of the new national web-based exchange—the Talent Retention Solution (TRS).
	This allowed the TRS to be launched in July. This is a solution designed by business for business. No assessment has yet been made of precisely how many people have been assisted by the TRS so far. However, good progress is being made with more than 150 companies registered on the website and, based on our discussions with them, we expect significant vacancies to come onto the system in the months ahead.
	The membership of the group is as follows:
	
		
			 Member  
			 Chair: Allan Cook Chairman of Atkins and SEMTA 
			 Mark Barclay Senior Vice President and Head of Centre of Excellence—Airbus 
			 Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson Chief Executive Officer Nuclear New Build—EDF Energy 
			 Graham Chisnall Managing Director Commercial Aerospace and Operations—ADS 
			 James Fothergill Head of Education and Skills—CBI 
			 Frank Hayden Group Manufacturing Director—Rolls-Royce 
			 Colin Lawther Vice President Europe Production Engineering—Nissan 
			 Dick Martin Chairman—Kembrey Wiring Systems Limited 
			 John Whelan Human Resources Director Programmes and Support—BAE Systems 
			 Juergen Maier Managing Director UK Industry Sector—Siemens 
			 Susanna Mason Director General Corporate Commercial—Ministry of Defence 
			 Janice Munday Director of Advanced Manufacturing and Services—Department for Business Innovation and Skills 
		
	
	
		
			 Ian Waddell National Officer Aerospace and Shipbuilding—Unite the Union

Students: Finance

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of students who interrupted their studies due to illness in each of the last five years, but returned to study in the following academic year.

David Willetts: Information on students interrupting their studies due to illness and returning the following academic year is not held centrally.

CABINET OFFICE

Childbirth

David Evennett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children were born at (a) Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, (b) Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford and (c) Princess Royal Hospital, Farnborough in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated October 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many children were born at (a) Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, (b) Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford and (c) Princess Royal Hospital, Farnborough in each of the last five years (76354).
	Figures for live births by hospital have been compiled from birth registration data. Information on place of birth is provided by the informant at registration rather than by the hospitals themselves.
	
		
			 Live births occurring in selected hospitals, 2006 to 2010 
			 Communal establishment 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich 3,953 4,206 4,036 4,000 4,176 
			 Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford 2,881 3,209 3,147 3,529 3,828 
			 Princess Royal Hospital, Farnborough Common, Orpington 3,562 3,631 3,667 3,777 3,855

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Housing Revenue Accounts

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assumption on the proportion of council housing stock which will be sold in future years he plans to use to calculate the adjustment of housing revenue account debt settlements to reflect changes in future income following changes to discounts on right-to-buy sales.

Andrew Stunell: holding answer 20 October 2011
	We will ensure that the changes to right-to-buy policy work alongside the devolved system of council housing finance. We will set out our proposals for doing this in due course.

Housing: Older People

Rory Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to enable older people living in rural areas to remain in their own homes as they grow older.

Andrew Stunell: Our programme for Government included a commitment to support older people to live independently at home. To support that commitment Government have protected funding for Disabled Facilities Grant which delivers adaptations that enable disabled people to live comfortably and independently in their homes. By the end of the spending review period the national Disabled Facilities Grant budget will increase from £169 million in 2010-11 to £185 million in 2014-15.
	We are investing £1.5 million in the FirstStop information and advice service which aims to help older people make informed decisions about their housing, care and support options and to help them maintain independent living in later life. The Government have also provided £51 million funding for Handypersons schemes over the spending review period to deliver small home repairs and adaptations.

Housing: Prices

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average price of houses in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Stunell: Information at constituency level could be provided only a disproportionate cost. The Ashfield constituency is made up of specific settlements from the districts of Ashfield and Broxtowe.
	Estimates of the simple average house prices (based on Land Registry data), for 2011, quarter 2, are provided in the following table:
	
		
			  £ 
			 Ashfield 124,817 
			 Broxtowe 151,543 
			 Nottinghamshire 155,594 
			 England 231,803 
		
	
	House prices by local authority are published on the DCLG website in Statistics Live Table 581:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/table-581.xls

Local Government Finance: North Yorkshire

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the effect that reductions in central Government funding to local authorities will have on unemployment in the boroughs of (a) Middlesbrough and (b) Redcar and Cleveland.

Bob Neill: No estimate has been made of the effect that reductions in central Government funding to local authorities will have on unemployment in the boroughs of (a)Middlesbrough and (b) Redcar and Cleveland.
	The coalition Government's deficit reduction plan is necessary to secure economic stability and put Britain's public services and welfare system on a sustainable long-term footing. Under the last Administration, the UK's economy became unbalanced, and relied on unsustainable public spending and rising levels of public debt.
	For economic growth and job creation to be sustainable, we need a broad-based economy supporting private sector jobs, exports, investment and enterprise. In this context, it is my assessment that the savings we are making to central Government spending will reduce long-term unemployment.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Bookmakers

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the protection afforded by offshore bookmakers to their customers in the UK.

John Penrose: In 2009, this Department reviewed remote gambling regulation in Britain, and found it was not working as well as had been intended. Following a public consultation on 14 July 2011, I announced to Parliament proposals for reforming our regulation. This will mean consistent protection for British consumers as all overseas operators will be subject to the same regulatory standards and requirements as British-based operators, for example in relation to problem gambling, preventing underage play and reporting suspicious betting patterns.

Creative Partnership Active

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what the name is of each Creative Partnership active in each region in 2011-12;
	(2)  how many Creative Partnership projects he expects to arise from Government funding of the Creativity, Culture and Education charity in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15; and how many pupils he expects to participate in such projects in each such year.

Edward Vaizey: The names of the current area delivery organisations can be found online at:
	http://www.creative-partnerships.com/in-your-area/
	Arts Council England will cease funding Creativity, Culture and Education, who deliver Creative Partnerships, at the end of this financial year and will instead support a new network of bridge organisations from 2012-13.
	In 2011-12 Creativity, Culture and Education will report to Arts Council England on the number of schools involved in Creative Partnerships, but not how many individual projects or students.

Cultural Heritage

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what museums, galleries and places of heritage he has visited in each region in the last 12 months.

Edward Vaizey: Since October 2010, the Secretary of State has visited the following museums, galleries and places of heritage:
	
		
			 Date Venue Region 
			 8 December 2010 Banqueting House London 
			 11 January 2011 British Museum London 
			 7 February 2011 Windsor Castle South east 
			 25 February 2011 Farnham Museum South east 
			 22 March 2011 Geffrye Museum London 
			 1 April 2011 Royal Armouries London 
			 16 May 2011 Heywood Gallery London 
			 19 May 2011 White Cube Gallery London 
			 31 May 2011 Lisson Gallery London 
			 15 June 2011 Tate Britain London 
			 24 June 2011 British Library London 
			 9 July 2011 Iron Bridge Museum West Midlands 
			 12 July 2011 National Maritime Museum London 
			 26 August 2011 Holburne Museum South west 
			 20 September 2011 Whitechapel Gallery London 
			 18 October 2011 Chatham Historic Dockyard South east 
			 19 October 2011 Buckingham Palace London

Departmental Allowances

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much members of his departmental management board have claimed in expenses since May 2010.

John Penrose: The total amount that members of this Department's management board, excluding Ministers, have claimed in relation to expenses incurred while carrying out their departmental duties since May 2010 up to the end of September 2011 is £2,822.16.

Creative Industries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many meetings he has had with the Secretary of State for Education to discuss accessibility for all age groups to the creative industries; and whether any action plan from such meetings was produced.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Education and the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport have not had any meetings to discuss accessibility for all age groups to the creative industries. Discussions between our two Departments have primarily focused on the independent review of cultural education that we jointly commissioned Darren Henley to produce by the end of the year. It will consider how we ensure that every child has access to a wide variety of high quality cultural experiences.

Film

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what support his Department is giving to the 55th London Film Festival.

Edward Vaizey: The British Film Institute is contributing £1.7 million to the 55th London Film Festival running 12 to 27 October 2011. This is part of the grant in aid funding from the Department this year.

Government Art Collection

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department has spent on the (a) framing and (b) hanging of art from the Government Art Collection since May 2010.

Edward Vaizey: Since May 2010 the Government Art Collection has spent £203,806 on framing and £13,136 on hanging works of art. Works of art are displayed in major British Government buildings, including Ministers' offices, embassies and ambassadors' residences, to promote British art and contribute to cultural diplomacy.

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much was withdrawn on each occasion one of his Department's officials used a Government Procurement Card at an automated teller machine from 2006-07 to 2009-10; and what the date of each such withdrawal was.

John Penrose: The following table details the amounts withdrawn by officials using a Government Procurement Card at automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10.
	
		
			 Date Amount (£) 
			 2007  
			 23 April 50.00 
			 20 April 100.00 
			 27 April 50.00 
			 21 June 20.00 
			 19 September 100.00 
			 24 September 100.00 
			 3 October 190.00 
			   
			 2008  
			 2 August 100.00 
			 10 October 123.21 
			   
			 2009  
			 7 June 355.68

Horse Racing: Bookmakers

Gerry Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the likelihood that agreements between bookmakers and racecourses concerning on-course bookmaking arrangements from 1 September 2012 will be reached with every racecourse and racecourse group in 2011; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: My officials are in close and regular contact with the Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers Ltd (FRB) and the Racecourse Association (RCA) over the discussions on racecourse pitch tenures. I receive regular updates on the discussions between the two groups and, while progress is slow, it is being made. We understand that the contracts for Northern Racing and Arena Leisure are either agreed or very close to agreement and that some of the independent courses have begun discussions. All parties are working towards all contracts being agreed by the end of this year and I will be keeping a close watch on progress.

Museums and Galleries

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many museums he has visited in the last 12 months on official business.

Edward Vaizey: In the last 12 months, the Secretary of State has visited eight museums on official business.

Museums and Galleries

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much was available from EU funds for museums in the UK in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Vaizey: This Department does not hold information about the level of EU funding allocated to its sponsored museums or to other museums in the UK. Any funding allocated by the EU is a matter for the individual museums and the EU funding agencies.

Ofcom: Press Complaints Commission

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether (a) Ofcom and (b) the Press Complaints Commission are defined as public authorities for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom is defined as a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, but the Press Complaints Commission is not.

Public Libraries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what plans he has to encourage local authorities to (a) improve library services and (b) offer (i) seven-day opening, (ii) outreach programmes and (iii) other library services;
	(2)  what plans he has for (a) continued provision of and (b) improvements to library services in the digital age.

Edward Vaizey: Arts Council England has responsibility for library development in the digital age. With the Local Government Group they will deliver a second libraries development programme to identify and support a number of authorities to implement the ideas and best practice that came from the Future Libraries programme.

Television: Violence

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had on the effects of television violence on schoolchildren; and whether he has taken steps in respect of this issue;
	(2)  if he will estimate the number of (a) fictional murders and (b) fictional acts of violence a British child will view on television in the course of their childhood; and if he will assess the potential effect of such viewing on their psychological, emotional, educational and social development; and what recent representations he has received on this issue;
	(3)  if his Department will (a) develop and (b) implement guidelines on the maximum number of hours of television viewing recommended for children.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has had no recent discussions.
	Parliament has charged the independent broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, with maintaining standards to protect children from harmful material. It sets out the rules and guidance with which broadcasters must comply. Ofcom's broadcasting code therefore contains specific requirements to protect people under 18, including strict rules on the portrayal of violence in television programmes.
	Ofcom's rules are required to be robust and based on the best evidence and it regularly conducts research in this area. If there was new evidence which clearly showed existing levels of TV violence as a major problem in the UK then Ofcom would need to consider this fully and act accordingly.
	Within this framework, it is the broadcasters' job to make judgments about what individual programmes should contain and the time at which they are broadcast.
	The Government have no plans to introduce guidelines on the maximum number of hours of television viewing recommended for children.

DEFENCE

Adam Werritty

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice his Department's Permanent Secretary has provided to him on his links with Mr Adam Werritty.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 18 October 2011
	Since my arrival, the Department's permanent secretary has discussed the Ministerial Code with me. I do not have any links with Mr Adam Werritty.

Adam Werritty

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has had discussions with the former Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir Jock Stirrup on Mr Adam Werritty since his appointment.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 18 October 2011
	I have had no discussions with Sir Jock Stirrup regarding Mr Adam Werritty since my appointment.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what vehicle is capable of firing the Exactor missile;
	(2)  whether his Department has acquired M133 armoured personnel carriers under urgent operational requirements for operations in Afghanistan.

Peter Luff: The UK has a range of systems deployed in Afghanistan to support coalition forces and protect civilians. However, I am withholding further details on individual capabilities as their disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what date his Department estimates that all armed forces personnel, including cadets and reservists, will have been issued with the multi-terrain pattern uniform.

Peter Luff: holding answer 20 October 2011
	On current plans, all armed forces personnel who require combat clothing, including reservists, are to be issued with the new multi-terrain pattern uniform by the end of 2013.
	The issue to cadets of the multi-terrain pattern uniform is a decision for each of the services. Army cadets have been included within the last tranche of the Army roll-out programme and it is intended to issue Royal Marine cadets with the new uniforms as soon as is practicable after the naval core roll-out programme is complete. At this time there are no plans to issue the new uniform to Air cadets.

Defence Business Services National Security Vetting

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 11 October 2011, Official Report, columns 17-18WS, on Defence Vetting Agency: removal of agency status, what consultation his Department carried out prior to the decision to remove agency status from the Defence Vetting Agency.

Andrew Robathan: Formal consultation with the trade unions on the creation of the Defence Business Services (DBS) organisation commenced in March 2011. This consultation referred to the intent to consider the inclusion of the Defence Vetting Agency (DVA) within the DBS; with the consequent removal of its agency status.
	The Ministry of Defence Civil Service Unions (MCSU) were informed on 1 September 2011 of the proposal to move the DVA into the DBS organisation during the autumn of 2011.
	The MCSU acknowledged in a letter dated 14 September 2011 that they were content to accept the proposal. Consultation with the local trade unions is being taken forward through the DBS non-industrial trade unions.
	On 22 September 2011, I informed the Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury the decision to remove agency status from the DVA, on its transfer into the DBS organisation.

Defence Equipment

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in 2010-11 were consignments in response to requests for military kit despatched by special courier.

Peter Luff: An enabling arrangement is in place with City Spirit for the delivery of urgently required equipment such as aircraft components and medical stores anywhere in north-west Europe. In 2010-11, 13,995 deliveries were tasked under this arrangement. These predominantly related to ongoing operations.

Consultants

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures his Department uses when engaging external consultants.

Peter Luff: Ministry of Defence guidance mandates that all external consultancy requirements be articulated in the form of a business case, with financial approval provided at the appropriate level. This business case must consider all potential options, including internal resources, and make clear the rationale for recommending the external option to provide the service required.
	The requirement is categorised by the top level budget holder into one of eleven categories so that the expenditure is appropriated correctly. The requirement is then procured by way of a competitive tendering exercise if practicable, either through an existing corporate framework agreement or on a bespoke basis by advertising for expressions of interest prior to an invitation to tender being issued, in the Defence Contracts Bulletin if above £10,000 in value, and in the Official Journal of the European Union if above £101,000 in value, under the restricted procedure. In the event of a competitive tendering exercise being impracticable, the requirement is advertised on a single tender procurement basis in advance of the contract being placed, in the Defence Contracts Bulletin, if above £40,000 in value, and in the Official Journal of the European Union if above £101,000 in value, by way of a voluntary transparency notice, under the negotiated procedure. Unless a corporate framework agreement has been used, contract awards are again advertised in these two publications as appropriate.
	All invitation to tender and contract award documents above £10,000 in value are placed on the transparency website unless a framework agreement pre-dating January 2011 has been used.
	It is worth noting also that since July 2010, the Cabinet Office has imposed a pan-Government freeze on external consultancy expenditure to the effect that all intended expenditure below £20,000 has to be approved at Director (1 star) level and above £20,000 with less than nine months duration approved at ministerial level. All consultancy requirements valued above £20,000 and within an intended duration longer than nine months have to be approved by the Efficiency Reform Group.
	Prior to any engagement or contract being placed, Departments have to ensure that the requirement is necessary and that no internal resource is available to undertake the work. All external consultancy contracts are reviewed on this basis every three months with the maximum term permitted being nine months whereupon Efficiency Reform Group approval is required.
	In addition, any proposal from an external consultant quoting average man day rates above a certain threshold requires approval from Efficiency Reform Group.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on museums and exhibitions (a) overall and (b) in each constituent part of the UK in each year since 2005.

Andrew Robathan: Funding for museums, provided through grants in aid, are provided in the following table in each of the last five years for which figures are currently available. A grant in aid is typically used to fund part or all of the administration costs of the recipient body.
	Since 2008 the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has not collected estimates of regional expenditure on equipment, non-equipment, or personnel costs as they do not directly support policy making or operations. However, all of the museums listed are based in England.
	In addition, the MOD provides some £4 million each year to support to the regimental museums, across the UK.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Grant-in-Aid 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 RAF Museum 7,104,192 6,774,110 7,019,000 7,989,309 7,367,000 7,552,000 
			 National Army Museum 4,871,546 5,292,879 5,489,000 5,734,850 5,515,222 6,312,403 
			 National Museum of the Royal Navy — — — — 3,237,466 2,797,046 
			 Fleet Air Arm Museum 579.063 593,724 614,000 631,000 (1)— (1)— 
			 Royal Marine Museum 783,252 740,788 765,480 783,000 (1)— (1)— 
			 Royal Navy Museum 1,025,044 895,502 873,000 1,045,000 (1)— (1)— 
			 Royal Navy Submarine Museum 548,317 561,997 575,708 591,000 (1)— (1)— 
			 (1) Funded through the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

Ex-servicemen: Mental Health Services

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on provision of facilities for retired service personnel diagnosed with mental health disorders.

Andrew Robathan: All members of the Government place great importance on mental health issues, and Defence Ministers have had several discussions on the subject with colleagues in the Health Departments and others across Government, as well as with the community and voluntary sector.
	We are also working together on the implementation of my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison)’s “Fighting Fit” report on mental health services for both serving and ex-serving personnel.
	On 12 October 2011 the Minister of State, Department of Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns), and I met Dr Clifford Stanley, the US Department of Defense Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, as part of the US/UK Service Personnel and Veterans Task Force, which aims to deliver the best possible support for serving members of the armed forces and veterans.

NATO

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what views were expressed by NATO defence ministers on the conclusions of the NATO defence capabilities review at their meeting on 5 and 6 October 2011; if he will place in the Library information on the conclusions of that review; and if he will make a statement.

Gerald Howarth: At their meeting on 5 October 2011, NATO Defence Ministers endorsed the NATO Defence Planning Capability Report 2010-11 which acknowledged that NATO relies on a few nations, particularly the United States, for provision of costly and advanced capabilities. The report included recommendations to focus on addressing identified capability shortfalls and deficiencies; emphasise multinational procurement cooperation in the delivering of capabilities where appropriate and to work to improve NATO's standardisation process. These recommendations will feed into the current NATO Defence planning cycle.
	The report is classified NATO Restricted, including the report's conclusions, and therefore it is not possible to place it in the Library of the House, nor in the public domain.

Nuclear Weapons: Testing

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the purpose was of the 1993 Memorandum of Agreement between the UK and Australia in relation to Maralinga;
	(2)  for what reasons his Department provided £20 million to the Australian Government in 1993 in respect of atomic tests in that country.

Andrew Robathan: The purpose of the 1993 agreement between the UK and Australia was to agree a £20 million ex gratia payment to the Australians towards the cost of rehabilitating the test sites in Australia.

EDUCATION

Adoption Allowances

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of local authorities include a child's disability living allowance in the calculation of the means test for adoption allowance.

Tim Loughton: The Department does not collect the data requested.
	Local authorities must assess the needs of adopted children and their families for adoption support services, including financial support. In determining the amount of financial support to be paid to an adoptive parent, the local authority must take account of any other grant, benefit, allowance or resource which is available to the adoptive parent in respect of his needs as a result of the adoption of the child.

Departmental Allowances

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much members of his departmental management board have claimed in expenses since May 2010.

Tim Loughton: Information on the department's board is available on the Transparency pages of the Department's website:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/departmentalinformation/transparency/b0067381/senior-civil-servant-expenses-and-hospitality
	Similar information for Ministers is also published on the same site:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/departmentalinformation/transparency/a0065263/ministers-quarterly-returns

Consultants

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many unpaid advisers his Department retains; what their names are; and which (a) bodies, (b) committees and (c) strategy groups of his Department each (i) is a member of, (ii) advises and (iii) works alongside.

Tim Loughton: The information for the Department is set out as follows:
	
		
			 Name Activity 
			 Sarah Thane Child Performance 
			   
			 Stephen Furner UK Council for Child Internet Safety 
			   
			 Adele Eastman Voluntary and Community Services prospectus grants 
			 Tom Jackson  
			 John Nash  
			   
			 David Norgrove (Chair) Family Justice Review 
			 Shireen Ritchie  
			   
			 Sally Coates (Principal, Burlington Danes Academy, Hammersmith) Review of Teachers' Standards 
			 Roy Blatchford (Director of the National Education Trust)  
			 Joan Deslandes (Headteacher of Kingsford Community School, Newham, London)  
		
	
	
		
			 Judith Fenn (Head of School Services at the Independent Schools Council)  
			 John McIntosh OBE (Former Headteacher of the London Oratory School)  
			 Dr Dan Moynihan (Chief Executive of Harris Academies)  
			 Professor Anthony O'Hear (Professor of Philosophy and former Head of Education Department, Buckingham University)  
			 Leanne Simmonds (Subject Leader of Modern Foreign Languages, Evelyn Grace Academy, London)  
			 Patricia Sowter CBE (Principal of Cuckoo Hall Academy, London)  
			 Ava Sturridge-Packer CBE (Headteacher of St Mary's C of E Primary School, Birmingham)  
			 Greg Wallace (Executive Principal of the Best Start Federation, Hackney)  
			 Brett Wigdortz (Chief Executive of Teach First)  
			 Lizzie Williams (Lead Teacher at King Solomon Academy, London)  
			 Patrick Leeson(1) (Director of Development, Education and Care, Ofsted)  
			 Diane Rochford (Head Teacher, John F Kennedy Special School)  
			   
			 Shahed Ahmed (Head of Elmhurst Primary School, Forest Gate) National Curriculum Review Advisory Committee members 
			 Peter Barnes (Head of Oakgrove School, Milton Keynes)  
			 Dame Yasmin Bevan (Executive Principal and Head of Denbigh High School and Challney High School for Boys, Luton)  
			 Mike Harris (Head of Education and Skills Policy at the Institute of Directors)  
			 Patrick Leeson(1) (Director of Development, Education and Care, Ofsted)  
			 John D F Martin (Head of Castle Hill Junior School, Basingstoke)  
			 Bernice McCabe (Head of North London Collegiate)  
			 John McIntosh OBE (Retired Head of The London Oratory School)  
			 Ruth Miskin (Founder, Read Write Inc and former Primary Head)  
			 Joe Prendergast (Head of Wennington Hall School, Lancaster) Heather Rockhold (Retired Head of Lauriston Primary School, Hackney)  
			 Professor Nigel Thrift (Vice-Chancellor, University of Warwick)  
		
	
	
		
			 Sir Michael Wilshaw (Head of Mossbourne Community Academy, Hackney and Director of Education at ARK)  
			   
			 Darren Henley (Managing Director of Classic FM)(2) Cultural Review 
			 (1) In recognition of Ofsted's status, Mr Leeson is included as an observer for this review and committee. (2 )This is joint review led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Departmental Re-location

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many civil servants in his Department have been (a) relocated and (b) agreed for relocation in the last 12 months; and to which areas of the United Kingdom.

Tim Loughton: The Department has not relocated any civil servants in the last 12 months.

Departmental Manpower

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) special advisers, (b) speechwriters and (c) press officers are in paid employment at his Department; what their names are; and how much his Department has spent on (i) special advisers, (ii) speechwriters and (iii) press officers in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Tim Loughton: There are two special advisers, three speechwriters and 15 press officers currently employed by the Department for Education. It is not the Department's policy to name individual civil servants, however, the names of the special advisers are on record as Dominic Cummings and Henry de Zoete.
	In the financial year 2010/11 the Department spent £771,039 on employing press officers and £219,534 on employing speechwriters. Details of pay bands for special advisers were published in a written ministerial statement by the Prime Minister on 19 July 2011, Official Report, columns 110-13WS, and can be viewed at
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/special-adviser-data-releases
	Since publication Dominic Cummings is now in pay band 2 with a salary of £69,266 per annum.

Departmental Pay

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the total monetary value of London weightings and London living allowances for staff in his Department.

Tim Loughton: In the Department, the 1,336 London- based staff employed at grade 6 level and below are paid on average £3,700 more per head than staff employed elsewhere. The 114 senior civil servants employed in the Department do not receive any London weighting or allowances.

Procurement

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the cost of employing civil servants to undertake procurement for his Department in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of the cost of (i) employing civil servants and (ii) engaging consultants to undertake procurement for his Department in 2011-12.

Tim Loughton: The costs for employing civil servants in the Commercial Group for the Department for Education to undertake procurement in 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and the estimated costs for 2011-12 are shown in the following table.
	To date we have had no contracts and no spend with consultants working specifically on procurement in the Department. We do not anticipate any spend in this financial year.
	
		
			 Costs for employing civil servants to undertake procurement 
			  £ million 
			 2008-09 13.3 
			 2009-10 15.3 
			 2010-11 10.4 
			 2011-12(1) 2.4 
			 (1) Estimated

Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2010-11.

Tim Loughton: There were 15,086 days of absence and an average of 6.0 working days lost (AWDL) in the 12-month reporting period, ending 31 March 2011. Sickness absence data for the Department for Education is available on its website:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/departmentalinformation/transparency/a00448/sickness-absence

Training

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Tim Loughton: Information about how many external training courses were attended by the Department's staff and the associated cost is not held centrally. Funding for the majority of learning and development opportunities is held and managed by individual business areas. Consequently this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Free Schools: Academies

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he plans to provide to local authorities to ensure they do not restrict the formation of free schools and academies.

Nick Gibb: In discharging his duty under the Academies Act 2010, the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), will decide whether to establish a free school or an academy. As part of that decision making process, local authorities have a key strategic role to play as a champion for children and families. We have already seen good examples of local authorities supporting parents and communities who want to set up free schools and who promote academies in order to improve standards.
	As part of the local authorities' role in supporting the establishment of new schools, the Education Bill currently before Parliament proposes that where a local authority considers there is a need for a new school; it must first seek proposals to establish an academy or free school. The current guidance issued to local authorities, schools and decision makers is extant and when, subject to parliamentary approval, the Bill is enacted we will review and revise the guidance as appropriate.
	The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the right hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), has recently set out how local authority planning departments should deal with proposals for state-funded schools, including free schools. In particular that they should make full use of their planning powers to support free school applications.

Schools: Dogs

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on headteachers and teachers bringing dogs into school premises.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has no central policy on head teachers and teachers bringing dogs into school premises. In any circumstances where dogs are brought into the premises, we would expect schools to take common sense steps to ensure that the health and safety of those in the school is adequately protected. For instance ensuring that dogs are controlled and any fouling is cleared by the owners or handlers.

Schools: Vocational Guidance

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of instances in which non-compliance by local authorities with the duty to provide careers guidance has not resulted in legal action.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 13 October 2011
	Local authorities do not have a statutory duty to provide careers guidance. They have a duty, under section 68 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, to make available services which encourage, enable or assist effective participation of young people in education or training. Local authorities may choose to fulfil this duty through the provision of careers guidance services.
	The Department for Education does not hold information on whether or not non-compliance with this duty has resulted in legal action. Any legal action would be brought against local authorities. No estimate can be given, therefore, of the number of instances in which non-compliance has or has not resulted in legal action.

Secondary Education: Admissions

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment (a) his Department and (b) the Young People's Learning Agency has made of the (i) enrolment and (ii) retention of 16-year-olds in full-time education in the 2011-12 academic year.

Tim Loughton: Information on 16-year-olds in full-time education for the 2011/12 academic year is not yet available.

Special Educational Needs

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has plans to include the number of children with need status in the core data set of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

Paul Burstow: I have been asked to reply.
	Health and wellbeing boards will be a forum for the national health service, local authorities and communities to exercise shared leadership in arriving at a joint understanding of local needs, including the needs of local children, and a shared strategy to address those needs. The director of children's services will be a statutory member of the health and wellbeing board—as part of effective joint working, we would expect directors of children services to share data such as the number of children with children in need status, and other relevant information with the board, to ensure that the needs of local children are fully taken into account
	Statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education, “Working together to safeguard children”, states that Joint Strategic Needs Assessments should include the needs of children with children in need status, which will in turn inform the joint health and wellbeing strategy which drives local commissioning.
	The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment core dataset brings together a list of indicators which health and wellbeing boards may wish to draw on when performing assessments. The Government are developing statutory guidance and wider resources to support boards in performing Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and developing joint health and wellbeing strategies. As part of this work, we will explore with health and wellbeing board early implementers and other partners what further resources they would find supportive, such as a refreshed core data set.

Special Educational Needs

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will implement the recommendation of the report by Professor Munro to introduce a duty on local authorities to provide an early offer of help to families.

Tim Loughton: Early help in the child protection system is a top priority for the Government. The Government response to Professor Munro's review of child protection endorsed her conclusions that the early identification of neglect and abuse and the offering of help to address needs early are in the best interests of the child and young person.
	The earlier help is given, the more likely it is to have a positive impact on outcomes for children, and young people. The system at present is too reactive and we need to shift the balance towards identifying need and providing help early. Professionals working in universal services—health, education, police and early years—have a vital role in identifying the early signs of abuse and neglect and working together to make an early help offer to children, young people and families.
	In the Government response we agreed to consider whether placing a statutory duty on local authorities and their partners was the most appropriate route to secure an increase in the range and number of preventative services on offer to children and families. Discussions are under way with local government and the wider sector, including health professionals, and are taking account of health reforms, to consider the best route to creating local systems where there is shared accountability and effective co-ordination of early help services. An announcement will be made in due course.

Teachers: Pensions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what requests for information on teacher pensions from teaching unions his Department has (a) accepted and (b) rejected since May 2010.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 October 2011
	Wherever possible the Department aims to meet all reasonable requests for information from teacher unions and other stakeholders. Since May 2010, no requests from the teaching unions for data have been rejected and there are no outstanding data requests that have not been actioned. For example, within the last few weeks the Department has provided extensive data and information to the teacher unions to support ongoing discussions about possible changes to the Teachers' Pension Scheme, in the context of Lord Hutton's report on the reform of public service pension schemes.

Teachers: Pensions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library copies of all statistical information his Department holds on the future funding of teacher pensions.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 October 2011
	The following documents are currently held in the House Libraries and contain information relevant to the funding of the Teachers' Pension Scheme.
	Teachers' Pension Scheme (England and Wales) Resource Accounts are published annually, with those for 2010-11 being published on 4 July 2011. The accounts contain current membership data relating to the Teachers' Pension Scheme.
	The Government Actuary conducts a formal actuarial review of the Teachers' Pension Scheme every four years and his report contains assumptions on future membership and liabilities. The last valuation of the Teachers' Pension Scheme relates to the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2004 and was published in November 2006. The valuation covering the period up to March 2008 has been deferred pending the outcome of the current negotiations on scheme reforms.
	The Office for Budget Responsibility set out its forecasts for expenditure and receipts to public sector pension schemes for the period up to 2015-16 in its Economic and Fiscal Outlook document. This was presented to Parliament by the then Economic Secretary to the Treasury, the hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening), in March 2011.

Teachers: Pensions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from teaching unions on proposed changes to teacher pensions.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 October
	The Government have agreed that the recommendations from the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission (IPSPC), chaired by Lord Hutton of Furness, will form the basis for consultation on public sector pension reforms. The proposals are under discussion with teaching unions and employers. The Secretary of State for Education, the right hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), and I meet regularly with the General Secretaries of all of the teaching unions at which pension reform is a regular item on the agenda.

Teachers: Vetting

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of teachers who have not been convicted of any offence but are unable to work as a result of unsubstantiated allegations disclosed in enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks.

Tim Loughton: Numbers on checks for teaching are not collected, but we are making it easier to remove irrelevant information from disclosures. Individuals will be able to correct mistakes before showing a disclosure to an employer. Checks will only show non-conviction information that police believe is relevant to a job, and ought to be disclosed, not what might be relevant as is currently the case. Individuals, who can already seek to remove disputed information, will be able to appeal, if the police refuse.
	For posts such as teaching, with these new protections, employers should judge such information alongside comments by the applicant, employment references, and specific duties of a post.

Third Sector

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the name is of each charity and voluntary organisation Ministers in his Department have visited since May 2010.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 19 July 2011
	As at 10 October, the charities and voluntary organisations visited by Ministers from the Department for Education are listed in the following table.
	
		
			  Name of Charity and voluntary organisation visited 
			 Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove MP) Harrow Coram 
			  Prince's Teaching Institute's summer school 
			 Minister of State for Schools (Nick Gibb MP) Prince's Teaching Institute's summer school 
			 Minister of State for Children and Families (Sarah Teather MP) Bang Edutainment 
		
	
	
		
			  St Luke's Centre 
			  Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary 
			  Organisations (ACEVO) 
			 Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Children and Families (Tim Loughton MP) The Fostering Network 
			  The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) 
			  Parents' Intervention Takes a Stand 
			  Young Disciples 
			  Kids' Company 
			  The Soul Project 
			  Activenture (London Youth), 
			  Harrow Coram 
			  Voice (Alliance for Child Centred Care) 
			  The Station 
			  Lives Not Knives 
			  Catch 22, 16plus Service 
			  National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) 
			  St Georges's Community Hub 
			  BAAF 
			  NCVYS 
			  The Zone, Nelson 
			  Safe Space 
			  Magic Breakfast, Leeds 
			 Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning (John Hayes MP) City and Guilds 
			  Edge Foundation 
			  German British Forum 
			  Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust 
			  Cadet Vocational Qualification Association 
			 Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford) Kennington Fairbridge

Youth Services

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of variations in the extent to which local authorities have made reductions in services for young people; and if he will take steps in respect of local authorities that have significantly reduced their youth service provision.

Tim Loughton: According to the figures provided by local authorities the average planned reduction in gross spend on services for young people for 2011-12 is 25%, compared with plans for 2010-11. Figures for individual local authorities should be treated with caution because there is some evidence that local authorities have interpreted and used categories of planned expenditure in different ways. For example, 28 authorities did not include any expenditure plans for youth work and discrepancies are apparent for other youth areas such as substance misuse.
	The Government believe that the assessment of local priorities and decisions on levels of spend on services for young people are best left to local people. The Department has no current plans to intervene in respect of any local authority's services for young people. Nevertheless the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has a broad power to issue directions to local authorities if they are failing to perform any of their functions to an adequate standard under Section 497A of the Education Act 1996 (as applied to children's social care by the Children Act 2004). The Department will act to secure improvement where there is evidence of significant, long-standing failure, or where there is evidence that a local authority has been unable to do so.

Youth Services

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what role he expects local authorities to play in the delivery of youth work and a youth service.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 18 October 2011
	This Government expect local authorities to act as strategic commissioners of services to young people. They should commission effective services which promote the personal and social development of young people who most need additional support, including services based on youth work approaches. Local authorities may provide an in-house youth service themselves, but are not obliged to do so.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Energy: Prices

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to support households to meet their energy bills.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 20 October 2011
	The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) chaired a consumer summit on 17 October to launch the ‘check, switch, insulate to save’ campaign and a package of measures to help consumers this winter. We are working with consumer groups, energy suppliers and the regulator Ofgem to ensure consumers can save money on their energy bills by checking on their energy deal, switching their supplier if appropriate and insulating their homes. This includes an agreement that suppliers will put a prompt on energy bills informing customers how to get the lowest tariff and will write to about 8 million customers to tell them what they could save by switching to direct debit. The extended carbon emissions reduction target (CERT) includes a number of changes that will encourage energy suppliers to provide insulation to off-the-gas-grid homes.
	Officials have also been working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions developing the data matching elements of the Warm Home Discount scheme to ensure that up to 600,000 of the poorest pensioners in Great Britain receive an automatic rebate of £120 on their electricity bills this winter.

Energy: Tariffs

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with energy suppliers on the provision to consumers of information on how to access the cheapest tariff.

Charles Hendry: Ministers within the Department meet regularly with energy suppliers to discuss a range of market issues, most recently at the Consumer Energy summit held on 17 October.
	We have negotiated a voluntary agreement with suppliers to provide consumers with a prompt on bills to cheaper deals this winter, and an additional communication to their customers who pay by cash or cheque to let them know how much they could save by moving to the cheapest direct debit tariff. There is also a commitment from suppliers to assess the impact of the prompt on bills and improve it in the light of this evidence.

Fuels

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much (a) petrol and (b) diesel fuel has been released from Government supplies in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 19 October 2011
	The Government do not own emergency stocks of petroleum products, such as petrol or diesel fuel, that could be released in an oil supply disruption. However, as a member state of the EU and the International Energy Agency (IEA), the UK meets its international obligations to hold oil stocks by directing companies under the Energy Act 1976 to hold minimum levels of oil stocks as part of their commercial stocks. IEA member countries made available oil stocks in June 2011 in response to short-term supply disruptions as a result of violence in Libya and Yemen; the UK made available some 3 million barrels.

Nuclear Installations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with (a) HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations and (b) UK nuclear plant operators on the merits of pre-staging remote-controlled equipment within nuclear plants in circumstances where radiation levels prevent human access.

Charles Hendry: None. This is a matter for site operators in liaison with the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

Renewable Energy

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to support community-owned renewable energy schemes.

Gregory Barker: As a coalition, we pledged to encourage community ownership of renewable energy schemes. In pursuit of this objective my Department has:
	Developed Community Energy Online, a web portal to provide communities with a single point of contact to help communities benefit from the financial incentives in place for all who own renewable energy schemes;
	Held a summit on community energy in July in Birmingham attended by over 70 people. This summit identified a number of barriers which my Department is now seeking to address together with other Government Departments or through communities and local authorities; and
	Taken forward the Plan LoCaL project, a tool to support local communities developing renewable energy schemes working through the planning process. Plan LoCaL has held five dissemination events around the country to local authority staff and community representatives.
	Work to address other barriers continues and closely involves the key stakeholders.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Females

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Afghan Government concerning the representation of women in reconciliation talks on that country's future.

Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 October 2011, Official Report, column 893W.

Afghanistan: Human Rights

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press for any political agreement on the future of Afghanistan to include verifiable benchmarks for all parties' conformity with their human rights obligations under international human rights law and domestic law.

Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 October 2011, Official Report, column 610W.

Algeria: Christianity

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had recent discussions with the Algerian Government on the forced closure of Christian churches in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Government raise the issue of human rights, including freedom of religion and belief, with the Government of Algeria through a variety of mechanisms, including the EU-Algeria Association Agreement, which came into force in September 2005.
	We continue to monitor religious freedom in the middle east and north African region closely and will raise this issue as part of our discussions with the Algerian Government. I myself will be meeting a delegation of Christians later this month.

Advertising

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on advertising job vacancies since May 2010.

Henry Bellingham: Since May last year, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has spent £159,739.58 on advertising job vacancies. This figure covers recruitment for UK-based members of staff only. It excludes recruitment undertaken by overseas posts advertising for local staff positions as the figures for this are not held centrally.
	All of the positions advertised during this period were approved for external recruitment as either business critical or a front-line service, in accordance with the terms of the Government-wide recruitment freeze.

Egypt: Christianity

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the treatment of Christians in Egypt with the Egyptian Government as a matter of urgency.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), called the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 12 October to discuss the situation in Egypt, including his concerns about the unrest in Cairo that took place on 9 October. They discussed the action that the Egyptian Government were taking to address the violence.
	The Secretary of State also issued a statement, on 10 October 2011, expressing his deep concern over this unrest and the loss of life in Cairo. He urged all Egyptians to refrain from violence, support the Egyptian Prime Minister's call for calm and for all sides to engage in dialogue. He said that the freedom of religious belief needs to be protected and that the ability to worship in peace is a vital component of a democratic society.

Egypt: Christianity

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the treatment of Christians in Egypt with the Egyptian government as a matter of urgency.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), called the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 12 October 2011 to discuss the situation in Egypt, including his concerns about the unrest in Cairo that took place on 9 October. They discussed the action that the Egyptian Government were taking to address the violence.
	The Secretary of State also issued a statement, on 10 October, expressing his deep concern over this unrest and the loss of life in Cairo. He urged all Egyptians to refrain from violence, support the Egyptian Prime Minister's call for calm and for all sides to engage in dialogue. He said that the freedom of religious belief needs to be protected and that the ability to worship in peace is a vital component of a democratic society.

India: Commonwealth Games

Gerry Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Indian counterpart on the delay in payments to British companies for work undertaken in relation to the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Jeremy Browne: We are in close contact with the British companies who are yet to receive payment for services provided during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. We have raised our concerns with the Indian Government at ministerial and official levels. I raised the issue with Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Preneet Kaur, during my visit to India in June 2011.

India: Prisoners

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any staff of the British Embassy in India have visited Professor Devinderpal Singh Bhullar in prison.

Henry Bellingham: Staff in our High Commission in India have not visited Mr Bhullar in prison.

Iraq: Trade Unions

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the position of trade unions in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The UK continues to promote the importance of an active civil society in Iraq, of which trade unions play an important part. New draft labour laws are currently under review in Iraq, including those on freedom of association and collective bargaining. British embassy officials in Baghdad have in the past urged the Government of Iraq to recognise the important role played by trade unions. We will continue to do this where appropriate.

Middle East: Pipelines

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British nationals (a) were working on the Arish-Ashkelon pipeline immediately before the recent bombings and (b) now work on the Arish-Ashkelon pipeline.

Alistair Burt: We have not been made aware of any British nationals who have either worked on the Arish-Ashkelon pipeline before the recent bombings, or currently.

Uganda

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the (a) incidence of child sacrifice and (b) level of corruption in Uganda; and what representations his Department has made to the Government of Uganda on such matters.

Henry Bellingham: I am appalled by the ongoing practice of child sacrifice, and other forms of ritual murder in Uganda and around the world, as highlighted by the Jubilee Campaign.
	According to official figures from the Ugandan Government, there were 14 cases of ritual murder last year, including nine children. In response. 43 suspects were arrested, of which 32 were charged with murder, attempted murder or other offences. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development (DFID) continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Government of Uganda's measures to combat this appalling practice. This includes, as well as the normal criminal investigation and prosecution processes, the establishment of a ministerial task force, the setting up of child and family protection units in the police force, and by the end of this year the establishment of a national plan of action on child sacrifice.
	Furthermore, the DFID office in Uganda has supported child protection work in Uganda through UN Children's Fund, who focus on child sacrifice as part of their broader work. We are also engaged with local non- government organisation who are working to raise awareness of this problem and who are campaigning for tighter regulation of so-called “traditional healers” in the country.
	We remain concerned about corruption and regularly engage the Government of Uganda on this issue. In September, the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), wrote to the Finance Minister making clear that our continued support to Uganda will depend on a shared commitment to the underlying partnership principles of our development relationship. These include promoting good governance and transparency, fighting corruption; and respecting human rights and other international obligations.
	We have expressed particular concern regarding the unaccounted funds identified in reports by Uganda's auditor general into expenditure on hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in 2007. Action taken by us thus far included cuts to UK budget support in 2009 and 2010. DFID have also provided technical assistance to the Director of Public Prosecutions and Inspector General of Government to support them in enhancing their investigative and prosecution capacity. This month, three serving Cabinet ministers have stepped down pending court proceedings over corruption charges linked to Uganda's hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2007. They join the former vice president who is also facing charges. We are also aware of recent corruption allegations raised by Ugandan parliamentarians around oil contracts and will continue to monitor these developments closely.

Ukraine: Stray Dogs

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Ukraine on the treatment and disposal of stray dogs in that country; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has had no recent discussions with the Government of Ukraine on the treatment and disposal of stray dogs in Ukraine. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials will make their Ukrainian counterparts aware of some public concern in the UK about the way in which stray dogs are being removed from the streets.

HEALTH

Blood: Donors

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will require the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs to conclude the review of its recommendations on the use of fresh frozen plasma using evidence from Imperial College;
	(2)  if he will publish the impact assessment on the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs' recommendations of July 2009 on replacing UK-derived fresh frozen plasma with imported plasma for all recipients;
	(3)  when he will decide on implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs of July 2009 that the use of UK-derived fresh frozen plasma (FFP) should be ceased and replaced by imported FFP for all recipients.

Anne Milton: In early 2012, the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) plans to consider new information and analysis which has become available since it formulated its initial recommendations on fresh frozen plasma in 2009. The evidence to be considered by SaBTO includes that from the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens which takes account of evidence from Imperial College and other research groups. In the light of that evidence, SaBTO will consider whether the conclusions they reached in 2009 should be reviewed, and whether they wish to make recommendations on this matter to United Kingdom Health Ministers. Dependent on SaBTO's conclusions an impact assessment may be completed for Ministers’ consideration and published in due course.

Blood: Testing

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will sponsor research to develop an analytical technique for testing for the presence of Bt proteins in blood to verify whether they can pass from the digestive tract of people and animals into the blood supply.

Anne Milton: Bt proteins are active components of some pesticide products and are also found in a number of insect-resistant genetically-modified crops. In both cases the safety of residual Bt proteins in food is evaluated as part of the relevant authorisation systems. Bt proteins are of low toxicity to mammals and the safety assessment is not based on assumptions about whether or not they are absorbed into the blood supply. Nevertheless, the available data from in vitro tests show that Bt proteins are rapidly broken down by digestive enzymes in the same way as most other proteins in the diet. There are no current plans to sponsor such research.

Cats: Litter

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will carry out an assessment of the potential risks of cat fouling to public health.

Anne Milton: The Health Protection Agency and Public Health Wales are proposing to assess the potential public health impact of Toxoplasma gondii in cat faeces. Causes of cases of toxoplasmosis that are identified through the enhanced national surveillance scheme (set up in 2008) will be investigated through a case control study for a year. Results of the study will be published in due course.
	The public health impact of other potential risks from cat fouling is assessed by the Health Protection Agency as being very low. Human toxocariosis, caused by Toxocara roundworms in cats and dogs, is rare with only a few cases reported each year in the United Kingdom (12 in 2010).

Care Leavers

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department provides for care leavers after they turn 18 years.

Tim Loughton: I have asked to reply.
	Local authorities have clearly defined duties and responsibilities for their care leavers. The Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010 and guidance “Planning Transition for Adulthood for Care Leavers” requires local authorities to provide young people who turn 18 with appropriate leaving care support. This includes a regularly reviewed pathway plan and the allocation of a personal adviser who will provide advice and support on a range of matters including accommodation up until the young person reaches the age of 21, or beyond if the young person is still in education.
	The revised regulations and guidance on support for care leavers are intended to bolster the quality of support, and bring consistency so that all young people receive the same opportunities to succeed as their peers.
	Key entitlements for care leavers include:
	the £2000 Higher Education Bursary for all eligible care leavers;
	a new 16-19 Bursary scheme which will begin from the start of the 2011/12 academic year. Looked after young people and care leavers are guaranteed a £1,200 bursary if they continue in full-time education;
	the provision of a personal adviser. Since April 2011 care leavers up to age 25 who return to education or training have been able to also benefit from the support of a personal adviser while they are on their agreed course; and
	provision of vacation accommodation if the young person is in higher education.

Departmental Travel

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on first class travel by (a) air, (b) boat and (c) train since May 2010.

Anne Milton: The Department's travel and expenses policy complies with the principles set out in the Civil Service Management Code and is in line with the recent Treasury-led review of departmental expenses policies and last year's Government efficiency announcements.
	The Department is committed to reducing our first class travel and we have already made good progress in achieving this. There has been a significant fall in first class travel from May 2010 against costs for 2009-10 as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			  April 2009 to March 2010 May 2010 to April 2011 May 2011 to September 2011 
			 Air 0 0 0 
			 Boat 0 0 0 
			 Rail 3,840,226.58 923,631.96 55,400.45 
		
	
	First class air travel is not allowed and all flights are expected to be economy class unless there is a business need to travel business class. All rail travel must be standard class unless there is a clear business need to travel first class.

Health Services: Bradford

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will discuss with Bradford and Airedale Primary Care Trust the staffing reductions that Trust is making in health improvement services.

Anne Milton: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has no current plans to meet with Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) to discuss health improvement staffing levels. National health service organisations, including Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT, are independent employers in their own rights and responsible for decisions on staffing numbers.

Health: Finance

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanism will be used to determine the overall budget for the new public health system in England; and what proportion of that budget will be allocated to local authorities to fulfil their new public health responsibilities.

Anne Milton: The first step in determining the overall budget for the new public health system in England has been the collection of recent expenditure on public health services which will become the responsibility of the new public health system. Further analysis will build on this to take account of pressures from recently introduced polices and the overall resources available to the Department.
	It is not possible to say, until this analysis has been completed, what proportion of the total public health budget will be allocated to local authorities.
	Shadow allocations to local authorities for 2012-13 will be published later this year.

HIV Infection: Christianity

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking in response to the findings of a BBC investigation which found that at least three people died after they stopped taking medication on the advice of their Evangelical Christian pastors.

Anne Milton: The Department is very concerned if people are not taking their HIV medication without the advice of their doctor. The Department recognises that faith organisations can make a positive contribution to raising awareness of HIV and tackling stigma. HIV treatment is highly effective but it requires patients to take their HIV medication as prescribed by their national health service specialist doctor.
	The Department funds the African HIV Policy Network for a programme of HIV prevention, which includes a continuing programme of work with Christian and Muslim faith leaders.

Hospitals: Food

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what minimum nutritional level of food served to patients in NHS hospitals his Department has set;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the nutritional content of food served (a) in hospitals, (b) in residential care homes and (c) through meals on wheels services.

Anne Milton: The Department does not assess the nutritional content of meals provided by the national health service, social care or meals on wheels. However, the registration system established under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 requires all providers of health and adult social care regulated activities to meet essential levels of safety and quality, and nutrition is a part of this.
	The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for the inspection and regulation of services. If CQC finds services are not meeting regulatory requirements, we expect it to use its powers of enforcement to ensure compliance.
	Good food is an essential part of hospital and social care, and health and adult social care providers are required by law to meet the nutritional needs of patients and service users. Provider organisations are responsible for compiling their own menus and making decisions about the food served to patients and service users. This includes planning and monitoring the nutritional content of menus.
	A range of information sources are available to help hospitals (and other providers) devise healthy, nutritious, tasty menus, as follows:
	‘Healthier and more sustainable catering: toolkit and supporting nutrition principles’ is available on the Department's website:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_125579
	The Operating Framework for 2011-12 requires the NHS to consider the Government Buying Standards for Food (published June 2011).
	Best practice guidance on the delivery of food in the NHS was produced by the Department and is now available at the Hospital Caterers Association website at:
	www.hospitalcaterers.org/better-hospital-food/

Hospitals: Food

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what average budget was allocated for providing food for each patient in a hospital in each year from 2001.

Anne Milton: This information is not collected in the precise format requested. However, information is provided to the Department by the national health service giving average cost of feeding one patient per day as follows:
	
		
			  Average cost of providing food for one patient per day (£) 
			 2004-05 5.32 
			 2005-06 6.19 
			 2006-07 6.69 
			 2007-08 6.97 
			 2008-09 7.95 
			 2009-10 8.06 
		
	
	These data were not collected before 2004-05. These costs relate to the average daily cost for the provision of all meals and beverages fed to one patient per day, across all NHS trusts in England. The cost should include all pay and non-pay costs, including provisions, ward issues, disposables, equipment and its maintenance.
	The figure provided has been supplied by the NHS and has been collected through the Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) system. This is the annual return made by all trusts in England to the Department and has not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation. All ERIC data are publicly available and are published at:
	www.hefs.ic.nhs.uk

Malnutrition: Costs

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of disease-related malnutrition in each year since 2001;
	(2)  what information his Department has provided to NHS patients on good nutrition; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Department has not made any estimate of the cost to the national health service of disease-related malnutrition, as this information is not held centrally.
	The Department does not provide advice on nutrition specifically to NHS patients. However, the Department provides an extensive range of information on nutrition through a range of approaches including NHS Choices and Change4Life.

Nurses

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future role of clinical nurse specialists in the NHS.

Anne Milton: The Government recognise the important contribution made by clinical nurse specialists and the value that patients place on having their specialist expertise and support. Under our proposals for reform, providers of national health service funded care will continue to be responsible for the skill mix of their workforce and for ensuring that staff, including specialist nurses, are trained and competent in their roles. Commissioners will have the freedom to commission pathways of care designed around the patient and delivered by a multi-professional workforce which includes clinical nurse specialists.

Obesity

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on measures to address obesity in (a) adults and (b) children.

Anne Milton: Ministers have not had recent discussions with Ministers from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on tackling obesity. However, the Minister of State, Department of Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns), and I met with the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Hugh Robertson), at DCMS in March to discuss the Public Health Responsibility Deal which includes action to raise levels of physical activity. Fred Turok, (co-chair of the Responsibility Deal Physical Activity Network) and Jennie Price (chief executive of Sport England) were also present at this meeting.
	A Minister from DCMS also attends the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Public Health.

Pancreatic Cancer: Health Services

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for an audit of pancreatic cancer services.

Paul Burstow: There are currently no plans for an audit of pancreatic cancer services as part of the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP).
	The Government are committed to extending the number of national clinical audits across a much wider range of conditions and treatments, and to developing their role as a driver of quality improvement. Following a call for new topics for national clinical audit earlier this year, the National Clinical Audit Advisory Group has provided advice to the Department on new topics to be included as part of NCAPOP. The new topics will be announced shortly.

Pancreatic Cancer: Research

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for future spending on pancreatic cancer research.

Paul Burstow: The Department is fully committed to clinical and applied research into treatment and cures for cancer. The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) welcomes high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including pancreatic cancer. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.
	The United Kingdom has the highest national per capita rate of cancer trial participation in the world. The NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) is currently hosting 18 trials and other well-designed studies in pancreatic cancer that are in set-up or recruiting patients. Details can be found on the UK CRN portfolio database at:
	http://public.ukcrn.org.uk/search
	In August 2011, the Government announced £800 million investment over five years in a series of NIHR biomedical research centres and units, including £61.5 million funding for the Royal Marsden/Institute of Cancer Research Biomedical Research Centre.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Members: Heating

David Winnick: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what guidance the House of Commons Commission provides in respect of the provision of heating for the offices of hon. Members during periods of moderate weather.

John Thurso: The Commission has set environmental targets which include a reduction in carbon emissions resulting from energy use. The heating for the offices of hon. Members is controlled locally and centrally (main central heating plant) to maintain reasonable temperatures. If the weather is likely to be warmer, the heating is turned off. This is usually from May to September but may be varied for exceptional weather. The heating may also occasionally be switched off for essential (often statutorily required) maintenance and repairs.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Reconstruction

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent in Afghanistan in 2010-11; and what proportion of such spending was for road projects.

Stephen O'Brien: In 2010-11, the Department for International Development spent £104 million in Afghanistan. Of this, £3.7 million was specifically allocated to road projects.

Advertising

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on advertising job vacancies since May 2010.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) has spent £135,521.50 on advertising job vacancies between 1 April 2010 and 30 September 2011.
	This is broken down by financial year as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ 
			 2010-11 66,872.90 
			 2011-12 (1)68,648.60 
			 (1) April - September 12

Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff; and at what cost in each year since 2007.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development's central records show two instances of transport-related fines being paid by the Department since 2007 at a total cost of £90. In 2007-08 the cost was £30 and in 2009-10 a payment of £60 was made.

Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in each of the last 12 months.

Stephen O'Brien: Management Board hospitality finances are available on the DFID website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/Our-organisation/Management-board/
	and are published every quarter in the normal way.

Departmental Travel

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on first class travel by (a) air, (b) boat and (c) train since May 2010.

Andrew Mitchell: There has been no spend on first class air or boat travel since June 2010. Spend on first class rail travel since June 2010 was £197.

Horn of Africa: Famine

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on famine relief in the Horn of Africa since May 2010.

Andrew Mitchell: The first famine of the 21(st) Century was declared by the United Nations (UN) in two regions of Somalia on 20 July 2011 and it has since spread to four additional areas.
	Since the declaration of famine by the UN the UK has allocated £32.27 million towards aid agencies working in Somalia including in famine affected areas.
	Across the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia) since 1 April 2010 the UK has allocated £163.82 million to humanitarian organisations.

JUSTICE

Coroner Service

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many submissions his Department received in response to the consultation on the Draft Charter for the Coroner Service.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice received 135 responses to the consultation from a range of stakeholders including coroners, local authorities, voluntary organisations which support bereaved people, medical specialists, registrars and members of the public.

Prison Service

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what length of contract will be awarded to the successful bidder for future public sector prisons which are put out to tender.

Crispin Blunt: Current proposals are to seek contract lengths of 15.5 years with a break clause at 7.5 years.

Public Bodies Bill

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many submissions his Department received in its consultation on the Public Bodies Bill.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice consultation on reforms proposed in the Public Bodies Bill closed on 11 October. 2,742 responses have been received. The Department intends to publish its response to the consultation by the end of this year. This will contain a summary of the responses received.
	Details of the consultation can be found on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/reform-public-bodies.htm

NORTHERN IRELAND

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many contracts his Department has awarded directly to third sector organisations in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: Since May 2010, my Department has not awarded any contracts directly to a third sector organisation.

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many contracts his Department has awarded directly to (a) small, (b) medium-sized and (c) large businesses in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: My Department does not currently record and publish information about the size of suppliers as this does not fully reflect the number and size of businesses engaged in supplying goods and services. For example, many SMEs can be found within larger supply chains.
	Since May 2010, my Department has awarded two contracts, one for catering and one for beverages. These contracts were valued at £100,000 and £15,000 respectively.

Departmental Travel

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on first class travel by (a) air, (b) boat and (c) train since May 2010.

Owen Paterson: Since May 2010, my Department has spent the following amounts on first class travel:
	
		
			  £ 
			 (a) air 0 
			 (b) boat 0 
			 (c) train 662.20 
		
	
	Since November 2010, all travel by Ministers and officials in my Department is by standard class.

PRIME MINISTER

Adam Werritty

Helen Goodman: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether he was informed of any concerns in respect of Adam Werritty expressed by senior officials of the Ministry of Defence; and if so, on what date he was first informed of such concerns;
	(2)  whether he received from (a) Sir Bill Jeffrey and (b) Sir Jock Stirrup any communication regarding concerns about Adam Werritty.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the report by the Cabinet Secretary into the allegations against the former Secretary of State for Defence my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox).
	This is available on the Cabinet Office website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/allegations-against-rt-hon-dr-liam-fox-mp-report-cabinet-secretary
	and copies are available in the Library of the House.

Ministerial Speeches

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Prime Minister whether (a) special advisers and (b) civil servants employed in his Office were given responsibility for checking the content of ministerial speeches delivered at the 2011 Conservative party conference.

David Cameron: Special advisers and civil servants carry out their duties in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisors and the Civil Service Code.

Domestic Visits

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Prime Minister when he last (a) met a young unemployed person and (b) visited a Jobcentre Plus centre.

David Cameron: I have meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals at a variety of locations around the country, including a number of welfare to work providers. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 October 2011, Official Report, column 332.

SCOTLAND

Family Intervention Programme

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has had discussions with (a) the Prime Minister and (b) other Government Ministers on the formulation of the family intervention programme for families with multiple problems.

David Mundell: The programme referred to applies to England only.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services: Disability

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the proportion of buses which have flat level access for disabled passengers.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport continues to work to improve physical accessibility to public transport. The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) require all new buses and coaches used to provide local or scheduled services and designed to carry more than 22 passengers to be accessible to disabled passengers.
	All existing buses and coaches used to provide local or scheduled services will then have to comply with PSVAR by end dates between 2015 and 2020, depending on vehicle type. At March 2011, 60% of all buses in Great Britain had been issued with a PSVAR accessibility certificate and a further 25% had low floor access but did not hold a PSVAR certificate.

Crossrail Line: Rolling Stock

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions (a) she and (b) her officials have had with Transport for London and the Mayor of London on the role of Transport for London in leading on Crossrail rolling stock procurement.

Theresa Villiers: Ministers and officials regularly discuss a variety of Crossrail matters, including rolling stock, with the Mayor of London and Transport for London officials.

Departmental Ministerial Meetings

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings she has had with representatives of (a) social enterprises, (b) charities, (c) large private sector businesses and (d) small and medium-sized private sector businesses since May 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Norman Baker: Details of all ministerial meetings with external stakeholders are published quarterly and are available on the DFT website at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/publications/ministerial-transparency/#meetings
	I regret that information is not held under the categories requested.

Procurement

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any socio-economic considerations are included in her Department's public procurement tenders.

Norman Baker: holding answer 10 October 2011
	The Department may take into account socio-economic considerations during procurement if and where they are relevant to the requirement, where consideration is in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations and the European Treaty Principles of Equality of Treatment, Transparency and Freedom of Movement and where they can be applied in a proportionate, non-discriminatory manner.
	This issue has been raised frequently following the Thameslink procurement process. Under the previous Government, the Department did not include consideration of socio-economic factors in the evaluation criteria for the Thameslink Invitation to Tender. Once the Invitation to Tender had been issued, the Department could not then include new evaluation criteria as this would have been contrary to UK and EU procurement law.
	As part of the growth review, we are examining whether the UK is applying the EU procurement rules to best effect and managing procurements to maintain competitive supply chains to meet its strategic needs, cost effectively, in the long-term.

Gold-plating

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to implement the Government's commitment to end gold-plating of EU rules.

Michael Penning: holding answer 20 October 2011
	The Government are determined to ensure that disproportionate regulation does not see UK businesses put at a competitive disadvantage compared with their European counterparts.
	To this end the Department does not go beyond the minimum requirements of European Directives, unless there are exceptional circumstances to warrant it.

Kirkby-in-Ashfield Railway Station

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger (a) arrivals and (b) departures there were at Kirkby-in-Ashfield railway station in each of the last five years.

Norman Baker: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) produces estimates for the number of passengers using stations on the rail network in Great Britain each year based on ticket sales, The estimated number of entries and exits at Kirkby-in-Ashfield station in each of the last five years for which figures are available are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Estimated entries and exits at Kirkby-in-Ashfield railway station: 2005-06 to 2009-10 
			  Entries Exits 
			 2005-06 79,487 75,614 
			 2006-07 76,294 73,291 
			 2007-08 70,276 68,937 
			 2008-09 75,490 75,490 
			 2009-10 88,891 88,891 
		
	
	Further information about these estimates can be found in the reports on the ORR website at the following link:
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529

Public Transport: Concessions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many concessionary travel pass holders are registered disabled; and how many such persons used their passes in the latest period for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: The Department is not responsible for issuing concessionary bus passes and so does not maintain records of how many passes are held by concessionaires who are registered disabled.
	The Department has no information about how many eligible disabled people used their concessionary bus pass in the latest period for which data are available.

Railways: Overcrowding

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will consider the merits of reviewing passenger overcrowding on London to Bristol sections of passenger rail services between London and south Wales.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State and the Office of Rail Regulation publish statistics on passenger crowding. The most recently published statistics include passenger rail services between London, Bristol and south Wales.
	Prior to electrification, and subject to successful commercial negotiations with First Great Western, the Government expect additional carriages to be added to some high speed services on these routes, including to Bristol and south Wales.

Railways: Overcrowding

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will consider the merits of introducing legislation to eradicate the incidence of passenger overcrowding and passenger standing on rail services.

Theresa Villiers: Capacity improvement is a key priority for this Government. Significant investment is being made in additional rolling stock and infrastructure works across the UK, including major schemes such as the Thameslink Project and Crossrail.
	Careful consideration is also being given to the results of consultation on a new high speed rail network.
	The eradication of all overcrowding and all standing on the UK rail network would require a vast programme of additional infrastructure construction and rolling stock procurement, which is not affordable. Alternatively, it would require all passengers to reserve a seat before travelling, which would limit journey opportunities to an inappropriate extent.

Railways: Wales

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Wales regarding the electrification of the Valleys and Cardiff local routes.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport has regular discussions, at both official and ministerial level, with the Wales Office about a range of issues, including electrification of the Cardiff Valley lines. Following her appointment of 14 October 2011, the Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), intends to continue this dialogue.

Rolling Stock

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what future plans she has for the process of procurement of rolling stock.

Theresa Villiers: The Government's review of public procurement—part of the Government's growth review—is examining whether the UK is making best use of the application of EU procurement rules.
	The review will also consider the degree to which the Government can set out requirements and evaluation criteria with a sharper focus on the UK's strategic interest and how the Government can support businesses and ensure that when they compete for work they are doing it on an equal footing with their overseas competitors.
	The recent deferral of the issue of Invitation to Negotiate documentation for the Crossrail rolling stock and depot procurement will allow relevant conclusions from the Government's review of public procurement to be taken into account in the tender process.
	We will be considering Sir Roy McNulty's recommendations on rolling stock but start from the position that the rail industry should be best placed to lead on rolling stock cascade proposals. The Government's role is primarily focused on ensuring that these represent value for money.

Speed Limits

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department has plans to review national speed limits for roads other than motorways.

Michael Penning: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 12 October 2011 given to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas), Official Report, column 371W.

Waterloo-Reading Railway Line

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to improve the condition of the Waterloo to Reading line between Waterloo and Richmond.

Theresa Villiers: The condition of the track between Waterloo and Reading is a matter for Network Rail as owners and operators of the rail network.
	As part of the High Level Output Specification (HLOS), Stagecoach South West Trains (SSWT) and the Department are currently in discussions to augment more capacity into Waterloo stations, providing more capacity for passengers including those between Waterloo and Richmond. These discussions are subject to value for money and affordability. Assuming that a commercial agreement can be reached between the parties, we hope to make an announcement later this year.

TREASURY

Banking: Asset Purchase

Edward Balls: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Bank of England on the use of the Asset Purchase Facility to purchase commercial paper and corporate bonds.

David Gauke: In his letter to the Governor of the Bank of England on 6 October 2011, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), confirmed that the Asset Purchase Facility (APF) “continues to include facilities for eligible private sector assets financed by the issuance of central bank reserves, Treasury Bills and the Debt Management Office's cash management operations that are authorised up to a maximum of £50 billion”. Private sector assets which are eligible for purchase by the APF were set out by the Chancellor's predecessor in his letter to the Governor of 3 March 2009. Eligible private sector assets include paper issued under the Credit Guarantee Scheme, corporate bonds, commercial paper, syndicated loans and asset backed securities.

Banks: Competition

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to introduce more competition in the banking sector.

David Gauke: The Government are clear that more competition is needed in the UK banking sector. The Independent Commission on Banking released its final, report on 12 September 2011, including recommendations to improve competition. The Commission's report can be found at:
	http://bankingcommission.independent.gov.uk/
	The Government accept in principle the Commission's recommendations to improve competition, and will now consider the proposals in more detail.
	The Government welcome the Commission's recommendations which build on proposals put forward by the Payments Council in July this year to make it easier for personal customers, small businesses and charities to switch their bank account. The Commission's recommendations set out key requirements for the industry to meet in this important area of work. The Government are clear that the new switching proposals need to be fully implemented by September 2013 and will monitor progress closely through quarterly interim reports.
	In addition, preparations for disposals from the state-backed banks are continuing and the Financial Services Authority is continuing to improve the process for new bank authorisations.

Departmental Travel

Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent on first class travel by (a) air, (b) boat and (c) train since May 2010.

David Gauke: Spending by Treasury Ministers and officials on first class travel between 1 May 2010 and 30 September 2011 was £905 by air and £95,532 by train. There was no first class travel by boat.
	In May 2010 the Department’s travel policy was revised and first class travel is now prohibited unless in exceptional circumstances:
	Where train journey is longer than three hours;
	Where there are no standard class facilities to accommodate disabled or other special needs requirements under reasonable adjustment guidelines;
	Where there are serious security concerns; and
	Where the overall cost of the first class ticket is less than the overall cheapest ticket for standard class. Evidence (such as a screen shot from the booking page) must be retained for audit purposes.

Public Sector Finance

Edward Balls: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how illiquid assets purchased by the Government are assessed against his fiscal mandates;
	(2)  how illiquid assets purchased by the Government are included in the public finances;
	(3)  what definitions of liquid and illiquid assets his Department uses in relation to public finances.

David Gauke: The fiscal mandate and the supplementary target are assessed against aggregates from the Public Sector Finances. ONS has published an article which sets out the accounting principles for liquid and illiquid assets in the public Sector Finances in an article The Public Sector Balance Sheet which is available on their website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/elmr/economic-and-labour-market-review/no--7july-2009/the-public-sector-balance-sheet.pdf

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Aidan Burley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has considered the merits of extending the current stamp duty holiday for first-time buyers beyond March 2012.

David Gauke: The Chancellor announced at the Budget that the outcome of a review of the stamp duty land tax relief for first-time buyers will be announced in autumn 2011.

VAT: Housing Improvement

Bill Esterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of likely behavioural change by (a) consumers and (b) the building sector resulting from a reduction in value added tax on residential property renovation and refurbishment.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 October 2011, Official Report, column 713W, that the figures quoted for the cost of reducing VAT to 5% on home improvements use the conventional assumption that there is no behavioural change as a result of the tax change. In practice, to the extent that the rate reduction from 20% to 5% was passed on to consumers, the price of home improvements would fall, demand for them would increase, and the cost of the reduction would be greater than the conventional figure given in the earlier answer, as the expenditure on reduced rate home improvements would likely be at that expense of expenditure on standard-rated goods and services.
	No estimates have been made of the behavioural changes that would be associated with a rate change of this magnitude.
	It is doubtful that there would be any significant change in compliance as a result of the rate change. Those that defraud the system typically do not limit the scope of their crime to VAT.

WALES

Agricultural Wages Board

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on the body from which farmers and farm workers in Wales should seek guidance on terms and conditions of employment after the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board;
	(2)  what meetings she has had with (a) representatives of the Welsh farming community and (b) the Farmers' Union of Wales on the Government's proposed abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board;
	(3)  what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on the potential effect of the abolition of (a) the Agricultural Wages Board and (b) the agricultural minimum wage on the pay levels of farm workers in Wales whose pay and conditions are set by the Agricultural Wages Board.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues and with the farming unions regarding a range of issues that affect the farming community in Wales. Indeed, my right hon. Friend discussed this issue with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), last week.
	Assuming Royal Assent for the Public Bodies Bill, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will carry out a public consultation on the future of the Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales. It is the intention to publish impact assessments on the effects of abolition as part of the consultation exercise.

Departmental Allowances

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much members of her departmental management board have claimed in expenses since May 2010.

David Jones: Since May 2010 members of the departmental management board have claimed a total of £1,670.52.
	These costs include all expenses claimed by members of the board discharging their daily departmental duties in addition to claims made by the non-executive board member, primarily relating to reimbursement for travel expenses.
	Membership and terms of reference for the board can be found on our website:
	http://www.walesoffice.gov.uk/about/management-board/

Departmental Correspondence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether she has received representations concerning (a) the big society bank, (b) the Work programme and (c) volunteering since June 2011; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: On 12 September I hosted a seminar on the big society, which included a question and answer session with the chief executive of big society capital and representatives of voluntary organisations, social enterprises, private businesses and public sector organisations. Written feedback was received from a number of individuals who attended the seminar.
	Today I am attending a meeting of the Welsh Grand Committee where Welsh Members of Parliament will discuss the implications for Wales of the Work programme with the Minister for Employment, Department for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling).
	No other representations have been received.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much her Department spent on new furnishings in the last year.

David Jones: In the current financial year to date, the Wales Office has spent £1,020 on new furnishings to replace those that were damaged or worn.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) employers and (b) disabled people are made aware of the Access to Work Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: Access to Work provides vital support to help disabled people get and keep employment. We want as many disabled people as possible to know this support is available. The recent Sayce review recommended changes that will increase the number of people who are able to benefit from Access to Work and raise awareness about its availability amongst disabled people and employers. A public consultation following the review has just closed and we will be considering ideas and reactions from that consultation and publishing a statement in due course.
	During the Sayce consultation period two Access to Work events were held, one in Manchester for third sector organisations and Access to Work Users and a further meeting in London for employers of disabled people. The attendee list at both events was extensive and featured many recognisable names.
	Also from 9 December 2010, disabled job seekers have been able to find out immediately if they are eligible for Access to Work support by completing a short online questionnaire at Directgov. If eligible, they are then able to print off a new Pre-Employment Eligibility Letter which will help build their confidence when applying for jobs and can be shown to prospective employers. This delivers the commitments in the coalition programme to reform Access to Work, so that disabled people can apply for jobs with funding already secured for any adaptations and equipment they will need.

Atos Healthcare: Manpower

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people are employed as health care professionals by Atos Healthcare to carry out work capability assessments.

Chris Grayling: Atos Healthcare hold the records of health care professionals who have declared a disability. This declaration is personal information that relates to a small group of individuals who are not employed by the Department. I am not therefore in a position to release the information requested.

Atos Healthcare: Complaints

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints about employment and support allowance medical assessments conducted by Atos Healthcare were recorded in (a) Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency and (b) England in each year since 2008.

Chris Grayling: Atos Healthcare record complaints by Medical Services Centre (MSC). Therefore, data has been provided for Cardiff MSC (the MSC responsible for WCAs in the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency) and for the nine MSCs located in England (Birmingham, Bootle, Bristol, Croydon, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Wembley).
	
		
			 Region 2008 2009 2010 (1) 2011 
			 Cardiff MSC 1 85 119 162 
			 English MSCs 1 1377 1939 1618 
			 (1) To date. Note: Only two complaints were received in 2008 as Employment and support allowance assessments only, commenced in October 2008. Source: Atos Healthcare Medical Services Information Team.

Departmental Billing

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many external training courses staff of his Department attended in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each course.

Chris Grayling: Current Department for Work and Pensions IT systems do not allow us to determine how many external training courses staff have attended in the last 12 months or the cost breakdown against each course.
	The following table outlines the cost to the public purse of external learning and development interventions, since October 2008:
	
		
			 Period External L&D expenditure (£) Percentage reduction year on year 
			 October 2008-September 2009 17,519,220 0 
			 October 2009-September 2010 17,638,463 +0.68 
			 October 2010-September 2011 7,664,078 -56.55 
		
	
	Civil service reforms introduced from April 2011 have begun to change the landscape for how people in the Department for Work and Pensions access learning and development. As a result of these changes significant savings have already been made. By 2012 we will have embedded the cross-government approach to centralised procurement of generic skills training through civil service learning; this will provide even greater value for money for the taxpayer.

Departmental Furniture

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on new furnishings in the last year.

Chris Grayling: The Department has spent the following on furniture:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2010-11 1.096 
			 2009-10 8.0 
			 2008-09 4.3 
			 2007-08 5.0 
		
	
	The Department signed a 20-year PFI contract with Telereal Trillium in 1998 for the provision of fully fitted and serviced accommodation for which the Department pays an all inclusive unitary charge.
	The scope of the services provided by Telereal Trillium include the provision of all accommodation in over 1,000 buildings and services, which includes building maintenance, life cycle works, energy/utilities management and environment, internal reorganisation, porterage, security, health and safety, furniture and equipment, catering/security facilities and equipment, catering, waste management, internal and external cleaning, room booking service, and landscape maintenance.
	This contract does not cover business-driven change where specific types or brands of furniture are required because of a new business initiative. Therefore, in 2010-11, for example, when Jobcentre Plus initiated the Response to the Economic Downturn project, which converted primarily back of the house space to temporary front of the house space in order to support more jobseekers, the Department had to pay for furniture not included within the contract price.

Departmental ICT

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many bids he received for the tender to create the software to support the universal credit system;
	(2)  to whom his Department granted the contract to create the software to support the universal credit system; and on what basis the decision was made.

Chris Grayling: The Department is currently replacing a number of its commercial contracts to develop and maintain the applications for all the core and critical business systems as these arrangements will soon reach their natural end. These applications are used to deliver services to the public, including on-line benefit applications and job searches, as well as back-office functions. Some of these contracts will be involved in the delivery of universal credit (UC).
	In response to the invitation to participate in a dialogue (ITPD) issued on 29 January 2010 the Department received 34 bids from 10 suppliers. On 21 May 2010, six short-listed bidders were selected. Following the completion of the dialogue phase of the procurement the Department issued the invitation to submit a final tender (ITFT) on 16 March 2011. The Department received six bids from three suppliers.
	Contracts have been awarded to IBM and Capgemini and DWP has extended its current contract with HP. The evaluation criteria included financial and non-financial indicators such as cost, quality and value for money.

Departmental ICT

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of creating the software to support the universal credit system;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost of maintaining the software to support the universal credit system.

Chris Grayling: The Treasury has allocated £2 billion investment funding to the Department of Work and Pensions for universal credit over the current spending review period. Plans on the allocation of funding are currently under review as part of work to produce an Outline Business case for next stage approval.

Departmental ICT

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the new software for universal credit is expected to interact with (a) the PAYE system and (b) other existing HM Revenue and Customs systems.

Chris Grayling: Universal credit will interact with the HMRC PAYE system for the provision of real-time earnings data. DWP will notify HMRC of universal credit claimants and HMRC will provide earnings data to the DWP on a daily basis. This process will ensure claimants who are part of the PAYE system will no longer have to submit earnings information clerically, and will ensure that the right universal credit payments are made.
	The universal credit IT system will also interact with the HMRC national insurance systems to ensure DWP contributory benefits and national insurance contributions are paid correctly.

Security

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to improve cyber-security in relation to his Department's estate; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Department routinely assesses current and future threats to its ICT systems and supporting infrastructures, and applies appropriate and proportionate security measures to counter such threats, in line with the prevailing guidance from the central security authorities, and industry best practice.
	These measures aim to protect the Department's valuable assets and information. Aside from that, it has been the policy of successive Governments not to make public the details of specific improvements in security arrangements, as to do so would not be in the national interest.

Employment Schemes

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what data will be made publicly available on outcomes achieved by each of the Work programme providers; and whether such outcome data will be available by (a) provider, (b) region, (c) hours worked per week by Work programme client and (d) employment destinations of Work programme client.

Chris Grayling: As a minimum, DWP currently expects to publish referral figures from spring 2012 and job outcome figures from autumn 2012. DWP expects to make these publicly available by various breakdowns including age; gender; ethnicity; disability; provider; local authority; parliamentary constituency; and contract package area. However, this is dependant on the availability and quality of data from the administrative systems.
	DWP does not plan to publish hours worked per week or employment destination, as the job outcome and sustainment period definitions (in employment and off benefit) do not require them to be measured.
	The exact details of what Work programme national statistics we will publish will be available once we have developed more detailed requirements and are confident that the data are of sufficient quality to publish.
	An information note detailing the Work programme national statistics release strategy can be found at the following website:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=statistical_summaries
	Included in the note is an invitation for feedback on the type of statistics users would like to see made available for the Work programme.
	As soon as we are confident we have reliable data we will pre-announce an exact release date via this website and on the UK Statistics Authority publication hub. Statistics will be published in the DWP quarterly statistical summary and via an internet based tabulation tool offering users bespoke breakdowns of the headline statistics.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the potential cost of delaying the introduction of the overall benefit cap for (a) 13 weeks, (b) 26 weeks and (c) 52 weeks for all households who become liable over the course of the period in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15.

Chris Grayling: The following table shows the cost of delaying the introduction of the overall benefit cap for new claims by (a) 13 weeks, (b) 26 weeks and (c) 52 weeks.
	
		
			  13 weeks 26 weeks 52 weeks 
			 Cost 13/14 (£ million) 10 20 30 
			 Cost 14/15 (£ million) 20 20 40 
		
	
	Figures are rounded to the nearest £5 million and are estimates. Analysis of those affected by the benefit cap has been modelled using survey data; as such there is a degree of uncertainty around the results

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the potential cost of delaying the introduction of the overall benefit cap for (a) 13 weeks, (b) 26 weeks and (c) 52 weeks for all households who would otherwise become liable for the restriction but who were eligible for working tax credits in the previous 12 months.

Chris Grayling: Costings which take account of prior eligibility to working tax credit are not available. The following table shows the cost of delaying the introduction of the overall benefit cap for new claims who have not claimed a DWP benefit in the previous twelve months by (a) 13 weeks, (b) 26 weeks and (c) 52 weeks.
	
		
			 Cost (£ million) 
			  13 weeks 26 weeks 52 weeks 
			 2013-14 5 10 15 
			 2014-15 10 10 20 
		
	
	Figures are rounded to the nearest £5 million. Analysis of those affected by the benefit cap has been modelled using survey data; as such there is a degree of uncertainty around the results.

Housing Benefit: Disability Premium

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of single person households which will be affected by the overall benefit cap are in receipt of a severe disability premium in their benefit award.

Chris Grayling: Receipt of the severe disability premium is dependent on receipt of disability living allowance, constant attendance allowance or attendance allowance.
	Since the benefit cap will not apply to households with someone in receipt of one of these three benefits, no single-person household with the severe disability premium will be affected by the benefit cap.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the administrative cost has been to his Department of transferring lone parents on to jobseeker's allowance or another benefit when their entitlement to income support ends according to the age of their youngest child under the previous stages of lone parent obligations in (a) November 2008, (b) October 2009 and (c) October 2010; and what the estimated cost will be to his Department of transferring lone parents on to jobseeker's allowance or another benefit when their youngest child is aged five or six from early 2012.

Chris Grayling: The lone parent obligations (LPO) policy, which changed the income support (IS) entitlement conditions so that certain lone parents can no longer claim is solely on the grounds of being a lone parent, was introduced in three stages:
	for lone parents with a youngest child aged 12 or over from 24 November 2008;
	for lone parents with a youngest child aged 10 or over from 26 October 2009; and
	for lone parents with a youngest child aged seven or over from 25 October 2010.
	Table 1 shows the total administrative costs of the first three stages of LPO combined. We have not monitored the operational administrative expenditure of each stage of LPO separately, therefore the costs are presented by financial year not by LPO delivery stages.
	
		
			 Table 1: Actual operational expenditure of the first three stages of LPO 
			 £ million 
			 2008-09 6.2 
			 2009-10 15.4 
			 2010-11 13.5 
		
	
	The June 2010 Budget announced further extension of the LPO policy, to lone parents with a youngest child aged five or over. We estimated in the recent impact assessment, “Conditionality Measures in the 2011 Welfare Reform Bill”, that the change will help 20,000 to 25,000 extra lone parents into work in steady state. Table 2 shows the estimated administrative costs of the extension LPO from lone parents with a youngest child aged seven or over to those with a youngest child five or over. These figures are estimated expenditure and may be subject to changes.
	
		
			 Table 2: Estimated operational expenditure of the LPO extension 
			 £ million 
			 2011-12 2.9 
			 2012-13 21.8 
			 2013-14 11.7 
			 2014-15 8.2 
		
	
	The administrative costs presented in tables 1 and 2 include the costs of additional work focused interviews, benefit administrations and IT changes.

Social Security Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether, for joint claimants of universal credit (a) personal independence payment and (b) contributory benefits will be paid to the partner who is the recipient of universal credit whether or not they are also the claimant of the personal independence payment or contributory benefit.

Chris Grayling: The Government recognise the important role that cash benefits such as disability living allowance play in supporting disabled people to overcome the inequalities they face and remain independent. That is why personal independence payment will remain outside universal credit, ensuring it is non-means-tested cash benefit to assist disabled people to meet extra costs associated with disability.
	Personal independence payment will be a personal benefit paid to the disabled person or their appointee. In households where two or more claimants are entitled to personal independence payment, individuals will be able to claim the benefit in their own right.
	Contributory jobseeker's allowance and employment and support allowance will normally be payable to the claimant of those benefits. We are considering, in cases where universal credit is greater than the contributory benefit, whether we would make a single payment through the universal credit which would include any contributory benefit entitlement.

Social Security Benefits: Ex-servicemen

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to provide financial support to former armed forces personnel who are not in receipt of resettlement commutation.

Chris Grayling: Former armed forces personnel who are not in receipt of resettlement commutation may be entitled to social security benefits as long as they meet the relevant conditions of entitlement.
	Jobcentre Plus has an Armed Forces Champion in every district to ensure that service families get the best help and support available from people who understand their unique circumstances.

Unemployment: Young People

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the change in the level of youth unemployment in Motherwell and Wishaw constituency was in the last three months.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the change in the level of youth unemployment in Motherwell and Wishaw constituency was in the last three months. (075749)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. However, estimates of unemployment for the requested age band and geography are not available.
	As an alternative we have provided the change in number of people aged 18 to 24 years who were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) in Motherwell and Wishaw in the last three months. The change between June 2011 and September 2011 was an increase of 15.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and JSA count are available on the Nomis website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Universal Credit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 11 May 2011, Official Report, column 1247W, on universal credit, whether the earnings disregard rule applying to such an individual on a contributory benefit living as a couple, once universal credit is in place, would be the level applicable to a (a) single person, (b) couple and (c) lone parent (i) with and (ii) without children; whether any earnings of such an individual's partner would be offset against the earnings disregard for the contributory benefit; and whether the earnings rule for claimants of carer's allowance will be affected in the same way as for claimants of contributory benefits on the introduction of universal credit.

Chris Grayling: Entitlement to contributory benefits is assessed on an individual basis. It is intended that this will continue when universal credit is introduced. The Government intend to bring the earnings rules for contributory benefits into line with universal credit, but it is not envisaged that the earnings of the partner would be offset against contributory benefit entitlement.
	The carer's allowance earnings rule is not changing as a result of the introduction of universal credit. Current rules will remain in that the earnings limit in carer’s allowance means that all entitlement to that benefit is lost if earnings exceed £100 a week net of certain expenses, tax and national insurance contributions. This rule applies to the individual carer's earnings and not to the earnings of a partner.

Universal Credit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 11 May 2011, Official Report, column 1247W, on universal credit, at what level of earnings a claimant of contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) would be (a) worse off and (b) better off under the earnings rules once they are aligned with the universal credit earnings rules as compared to the current ESA earnings disregard of £95 per week; and, if there are any losses for claimants, whether he proposes these will be covered under the transitional protections arrangements for the introduction of universal credit.

Chris Grayling: The earnings disregard for a household with a disabled person will vary from a minimum of £2,080 per year up to a maximum of £7,000 per year. The impact of the new earnings disregard will depend on the individual circumstances of the claimant and on final decisions made about the universal credit taper rate.
	The Government are currently considering what transitional arrangements will apply once universal credit is introduced.
	The Department published a policy briefing note relating to earnings disregards and tapers in universal credit on 10 October 2011. This is available at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/ucpbn-14-disregards-tapers.pdf

Work Capability Assessment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what procedures his Department requires Atos Healthcare to follow when advising claimants of a review of their benefit case; what timescales his Department has set for each part of the process; and what records his Department holds in relation to such procedures.

Chris Grayling: Atos Healthcare does not advise claimants of a review of their benefits case. This is the role of my Department.